Conveyer



p 19-41- H. D. LATHROP 2,255,733

CONVEYER Filed Jime 5, 19:59

FIG- I FIG. 4

FIG. 2

INVENTOR! HARRY D. LATHROP Patented Sept. 9, 1941 CONVEYER Harry D.- Lathrop, Chicago, 111., assignor to The Lathrop-Paulson Company, Chicago, 111., a cor poration of Illinois Application June 5, 1939, Serial No. 277,529 I 4 Claims.

This invention relates to a conveyer, and more particularly to conveyer links which are brought together in overlapping relationship.

Great difliculty has been encountered in the handling of drums or barrels which are equipped with thick metal bands which extend outwardly for some distance from the body of the drum or barrel. The protruding metal forms a hook which engages portions between the links, and in the movement of the links under the barrel tends to twist, distort, and wear the links. Single conveyer links equipped with laterally extending flanges have been extremely unsatisfactory because the flanges are engaged by the rotruding metal bands or hooks of the drum. For this reason, it has been felt necessary that a pair of parallel link conveyers be employed, a structure which is very expensive both in construction and in operation.

An object of the present invention is to provide a conveyer formed of a single series of chain links which is adapted to handle barrels, drums, boxes, and other products equipped with projections or extensions whereby the same can be supported upon a relatively narrow link while at the same time slippage thereof on the links does not twist or distort the links. Other specific objects and advantages will appear as the specification proceeds.

The invention is illustrated, in a preferred embodiment, by the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a front view in elevation of a link embodying myinvention; Figure 2, a bottom plan view; Figure 3, a rear view, with the link inverted; and Figure 4, a longitudinal sectional view showing a pair of links connected together with the inclined supporting webs thereof in overlapping relation.

In the illustration given, the link consists of a main body I provided at its forward end with an integral neck extension I l and a semi-spherical ball l2 carried at the forward end of the neck. At the rear of the neck portion H! is an open portion l3 which is cut-away to reduce the weight of the link. At the rear of the opening I3 is a socket portion l4 adapted to receive the semispherical ball ii of an adjacent link. Communicating with the socket I4 and flared rearwardly is a neck opening [5 through which the neck of the following link is free to swing laterally.

Integrally formed with the top portion of the link body In is a load supporting surface l6 provided with laterally extending wing portions l'l. It will be observed that the surface 16 and the wings I! are both inclined upwardly and rearwardly, as shown more clearly in Figure 4, and that both project quite some distance to the rear of the body I0. In fact, the rearwardly extending portions -of the members [6 and I1 extend over not only thespherical ball I2 and neck portion ll of the link therebehind but also over a portion'of the body Ill and the surfaces l6 and ll of the neck link.

The load sup-porting shelf l6 and the wings ll clear the body ll) of the link following, and there is sufficient play between them and the corresponding portions of the following link to enable the two links to be turned laterally with respect to each other, thus permitting the chain to pass about curves, etc.

In the operation of the conveyer, the barrel or drum is placed upon the supporting shelves I 6 of the links and is stabilized and confined thereon by the arms or wings I I. When the chain is driven, there is a tendency for the drum with its heavy bands to slide upon the links. In the usual operation of the chain, the ball portion travels ahead of the socket portion, with the result that the wings which are inclined upwardly and rearwardly tend to check the sliding movement of the drum rearwardly relative to the links.

The sliding drum, however, does not strike any projecting part of the links. Instead, the drum is free to slide over the overlapping connections between links, and then when its inertia is overcome, it is carried forward by the conveyer.

With the very simple new structure described, kegs and barrels of the type employing heavy projections can be readily handled upon a single conveyer chain. The slightly upwardly inclined surfaces of the links serve two important functions. First, they tend to check excessive rearward movement of the drum. Secondly, they enable the rearwardly projecting portion of one link to clear the body of the link therebehind. A continuous load bearing surface entirely above the main link body and above the ball and socket portions of the links is thus provided.

While in the foregoing description, I have described a single type of link structure, it will be obvious that this may be changed considerably in detail without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I wish it to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to the exact details of construction shown and described, for obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. A conveyer comprising aplurality of links 2f a connected togetherv for movement with respect to each other in twoplanes, each of said links hav ing a rearwardly and upwardly projecting top "shelf extending above and overlapping the forcal ball carried by another link adjacent the rear of, said link body, a rearwardly extending and upwardly inclinedtop shelf on said-first} mentioned link extending over andspaced' from the ,forward portion of said adjacent link, said shelf being spaced from'said adjacent link" a suifi:

3. A conveyer, comprising a plurality of links pivotally connected together for movement with respect to each other in two planes,a rearwardly extending and upwardly inclined top shelfon each. of said links extending over and-spaced from the forward'portion of the next following link, each of said; shelves-being arranged to over- 1 7 lap the next following. link by ar distance suflicient to cover the front edge of 'the shelf of the next following link, said distance being insuf icient to permit said shelves to interfere with the independent movement of other shelves in a horizontal plane. H I i 4. In a conveyer adapted for turning movement in two planes, a pair of links connected together,

each link h-aving a body, portion, a forwardly exon each of said links covering the body of the ,cient distance to permit horizontal movement of v 7 said shelf with respect to said adjacent link.

zontal plane.

tending neck portion and a ball portion carried by said neck and at its rear a, socket portion to receive the ball portion of another link, a rearwardly extending and upwardly inclined top shelf same and extending over and spaced from the forward portion of the next following link, said shelf portion; including a flat substantially horizontal center section, and a pair of flanges extending'laterally from the sides of said center section at an acute angle with respect thereto,

each of said portions being arranged to overlap the nextfollowing link by a distance sufficient to; cover the front edge-of the. shelf of the next following link, said distance being insufiicientlto permit said shelves to interfere. withthe'independent movement of adjacent shelves in .a hori- HARRY. D. LATPRoR; 

